Skeletons in the Back Alley
by bones-angel
Summary: What if I told you, that the fairy tale happy endings were just publicity stunts? That the reality is so much more frustrating, and even out of hand? What if I told you that there are no such things as happy ending?
1. RAPUNZEL'S PRETZEL TWIST

**RAPUNZEL'S PRETZEL TWIST**

**Did I grow up according to plan?**_  
Title credits: Simple Plan's Perfect_

It began perfectly, this idyllic relationship of theirs. Arguments, disagreements, and whatnots were settled in peaceful discussions. They didn't need to go for marriage counseling. As a matter of fact, they could very well be the fine example marriage counselors could point to. Life was perfect in their household. Well, as perfect as a childless couple could have.

Unfortunately, they wanted more. More than just the two of them. If the heavens thought they could only deal with one child, then so be it. But both were disappointed when nothing happened. Still, life had to move on, and while they were lacking in children, they knew they had to count their blessings. Their perfect union was one of the greatest blessings they could have.

And so, Mr. Richard "Rick" Belamont sought satisfaction in his career, and strove to provide well for his beloved Amanda, who also worked hard to rise up the corporate ladder. Neither brought the matter up again. It was considered a closed topic, and well, unnecessary to discuss as it only reopened really, really deep wounds.

Until young, sassy, up-and-coming Natalie Pomeroy came.

Perhaps it would suffice to say that Natalie was a kind-hearted colleague of Rick's, but she also harbored some very deep-seated romantic feelings for him. He knew it, and thought nothing much of it, for the man loved his wife more than life itself.

Now, when another woman comes along and offers something so good, you'd think twice. But Amanda wanted a child so badly, that she was more than willing to let Natalie carry her child for her. Of course, if it had required Rick to impregnate her himself, she would have refused outright. Science and technology was absolutely wonderful in offering her the in-vitro fertilization option.

After a nine-month's worth of anxiety and worry, Carlston Belamont was born. Such a healthy child with such adoring parents. Now the family was perfect. Carl, as he was affectionately known, grew up to be a fine young man. He treated his parents respectfully, and dutifully fulfilled his responsibilities. He sailed through high school, without so much as a smudge on his academic and disciplinary records. Golden boy, as he was known within the family circle. Little did he know about the figurative skeleton his family kept in the closet. Nobody else but Rick and Amanda knew about Natalie's role in bringing Carl to the world, and they very much would keep it that way. Especially Amanda – who would want their in-laws talk about such an incompetent wife they were? Certainly not her, if she could help it.

Rick went on to own a modest telecommunications company, while Amanda became the Chief Executive Officer of a public relations company. Amanda had always liked to see only the golden shines and shiny spots in their life, and she often described their family as perfect. Rick knew far better than that. Since the day he knew the then eighteen-year-old Natalie Pomeroy, he could not get her off his mind. Of course he still loved his wife, but how exactly can one forget the gorgeous young thing that Fate dangled in front of him for the taking?

Still, as a man of honor, he kept to his wife faithfully as the son grew up. Though now in his late forties, and very much routine in his romantic endeavors with his wife, Rick couldn't help but steal a few glances now and then at the young Natalie. She was almost forty now, but still very much the definition of "Hot Mama." Likewise, she returned his covert glances with that alluring smile of hers, waiting for the day when he would just walk up to her and take the _other _offer she gave him.

This, Amanda didn't need to know, and even if Rick had told her, she would have brushed it off and focused more on her work and Carl. Not that she couldn't care less about a potential affair, but because she couldn't take the reality of it, and the tremendous effect it would have on her.

All of these little secrets were shoved into the cupboard, locked, just so that Carl Belamont could grow up perfectly, and be a sensible young man one day.

The time finally came when Carl was to enter college.

"Oh, Carl, what would life be without you?" his mother was sobbing and clinging to him with an iron grip.

"Hey mom, don't worry…" he tried to laugh, as he patted her gently. "I'll be fine. I'll call every Wednesday and Sunday, come back home every two weeks… and email you guys when I can't call or come back."

He pulled away and looked at his mom, a gentle smile crossing his face. "I love you mom, and I won't forget that you love me too."

Amanda merely nodded, sobbing too hard to reply. Rick grinned. His boy had always been the charmer.

"Hope you didn't forget about your old man here, son."

He laughed, and turned to his dad. "No, you know that I didn't."

He let go of his mom and gave his dad a quick hug before getting into the cab by roadside.

"Love you, take care, and see you soon!"

With that, he shut the door and the cabbie started driving off. His parents held on to each other and waved as the cab sped off towards the state university.

Carl settled into college life rather easily. After all, he was an easygoing fellow who had a pleasant personality that attracted virtually everyone that he talked to, and garnered much attention from the girls as well. His professors found him engaging and attentive, and spoke highly of him within their ranks. All in all, he made a very good impression only within a quarter of the year.

Rick and Amanda, however, were at a loss on coping without their son. Since the day he was born, everything they talked and thought about was Carl. Now that he had settled in college, and though he came home regularly and kept in touch, things weren't quite the same anymore.

Amanda felt like she was living with a stranger, but still strove to be the perfect little wife cum successful career woman. Such an epic effort took a toll on her emotional health, and for the very first time in so, so long, she resented her marriage. She kept such a resentment hidden, of course, blaming herself for the lack of chemistry now apparent in their marriage. And so she kept up her side of the charade.

As for Rick, he could feel the tension growing between Amanda and himself, so much so that he sought more time at the office than at home. Now this led him on to reconsider his position about Natalie. She was younger, fresher, and certainly much, much more interesting than Amanda. Everything about her was like the Amanda he knew before Carl, only better. Much, much better.

Still, he was a cowardly man when it came to such clandestine actions, and merely hinted through his words and actions directed at Natalie. Now, one would think that Natalie, after all these years, would have moved on to greener pastures, but her heart was settled on the one man she couldn't have. Sure, she was married (and divorced), and had her own kids, but there was just something about Rick that made it hard for her to let go. Perhaps it was the fact that after all this while he still had not made a move on Natalie that attracted her. Yes, perhaps.

And the fact that the family was so perfect meant that he was probably good in bed with his wife, all the same a good father to his son appealed to her.

Unfortunately, it came as not much of a surprise when one evening Rick decided to stay back late at the office to finish some "paperwork" – according to what he told his wife – that Natalie came knocking on his door on the pretext of asking him some important questions. They were important questions, all right, questions regarding his wellbeing, generally, until he could not help but to ask her in silent frustration just how long the both of them could keep the act up. She gave a succinct answer – a kiss on the lips, and one thing led to another until it was well after midnight that Rick finally returned to his home.

Amanda suspected nothing out of his taciturn behavior, and withdrawal of affection from the days onward. She had seen it coming, and told herself that business was indeed consuming him. Never would she ever let herself think of what business it might be.

Such was the life at home.

Carl, on the other hand began having difficulties of his own. For one, the sophomore living across his room really, really had a magnetic pull on his eyes. Granted, the said male was physically attractive, and rather charming, but other than that, Carl knew of more spectacular and attractive girls. He had never questioned his sexuality, and such creeping of feelings that he never knew he had for other males disturbed him greatly. Rousseau was his name, though to Carl, he was just Russ. They would have study sessions together, and sometimes end up watching a good game of football with some beer, and there were those occasional fleeting touches… so electrifying that he thought he would lose control then and there. But such a moment never came. He was beginning to be terrified of the truth.

Then again, there was Natalie Pomeroy. My, that was a fine woman. He didn't know why his father had suddenly taken to taking his son to the company for visits (perhaps the old man wanted to instill some interest in business in him) or the reason why his father insisted that Miss Pomeroy escort him to the office. What he did know was that Natalie (she had insisted that he called her that, when she first introduced herself) was attractive, and attracted to him. There was something about her that he couldn't very well put a finger on – at first. Soon, his hands were everywhere, and he looked forward to their little side excursions on the way to the company headquarters.

Life was bliss. At least, it was that way for a comfortable period of time for both Belamont men.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** My first attempt after such a long hiatus. It's a little dark, certainly hardly any fluff in here, and deals with so many themes. Anyway, do give me a feedback. I'll be doing the other fairy tales soon enough. This will be a series, and the last chapter would be the concluding chapter for ALL the preceding chapters. Meaning, you have to keep reading till the end to get a clue of what's going on.

Also, will explain my reason of absence on my bio page, for those who are demanding to know.


	2. HANSEL & GRETEL IN A KNOTTY FIX

**I have Friends in Holy Spaces**

They were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. They had it all – a beautiful mother, a successful father, a high-income family, and everything else they could ever want. They were famous even before they were born. After their birth, Rousseau and Amelia Amherst were the most watched pair of twins within their celebrity-obsessed community.

The parents were, of course, used to the amount of attention they received from both the press and the people. After all, Roland was the most innovative film director of his class. Wasn't he the one who practically invented the latest technology of filming sci-fi scenes? His wife, the _trophy wife_ as they call her behind her back, was Aurora Borland, an award-winning film actress. It certainly didn't take much for anyone to do the simple math. They had crossed paths, met on film sets, went on dates, cohabitated, and got hitched. What was so surprising? It was a ticking bomb that everyone knew was going to explode someday. There was no kinder word other than _screwball_ for Roland, and Aurora was the _gold-digger._ Everyone thought they knew better, that the union would never exceed the two-year honeymoon period.

Which was why when the Amherst twins were born five years into the star couple's marriage, whispers and murmurs of blackmail, paid escorts, sexual counseling, surrogate parents, and every other conspiracy theory about the couple's marriage came to life.

Still, their parents brought them up in their own ways, choosing a middle path between shunning the limelight, and embracing it. They were taught to glorify themselves when they did the right things, and to run for cover when they did the wrong things. It wasn't exactly the right thing to teach the kids, but then nobody thought to correct them. Not when things were about to get interesting.

Growing up in the limelight had different effects on both the twins, and their parents weren't exceptions either. Rousseau, or Russ, as he was affectionately known, despised it, but went along with the gimmicks because it meant having the things he wanted with just a snap of the fingers. Amelia, or Mia at her constant insistence, adored it and lap it up as much as she was given the attention because it fulfilled her needs to be constantly adored and attended to by her father who pretty much only paid attention when she did something wrong. Mother dearest, the beautiful Aurora, started negotiating television serial and movie and book deals as soon as the twins could walk and talk. As for Roland, he was but a mere shadow in their lives. He sought solitude in the arms of other women, the latest addition being a magazine editor who kept him busy for five months, a better record than her predecessors.

Their birthdays and coming-of-age parties were televised on most entertainment channels, and soon the twins found themselves looking forward to such events for different reasons. Russ found that he could always ask his parents to cater to his materialistic whims without leaving a mark on his conscience, and Mia knew that such events were the only times her parents would shower her with the adoration and attention she craved for. As for their parents, nothing like a good ol' birthday party to soothe their guilt. It was the perfect setup. For a time.

The time came for the twins to set of f for college. It felt like just another trip across the country, and was not at all life-shattering or life-changing as it could be. Russ and Mia settled in quickly in their new environment, in their own ways. Russ took a rather reasonable approach, and gained a few close friends. For Mia, it felt just like high school – she had to be the queen of the pack, and so she was. She formed a clique, and it grew into a sorority for the pretty and privileged. Intelligence was optional, and past social lives were scrutinized faithfully.

For a season, things were going very well for them. It was always a wild ride in college, and both siblings had their fair share of crazy antics and public statements released to salvage their situations. Their parents' publicists were assigned at their disposal, so it wasn't much of a hassle. Just a call and a few terse words could save their social lives.

A year passed by, and things began to wind down to a snag. A mutual friend by the name of Carl had just entered their lives. Such began the spiteful wars of the Amherst twins.

As for Aurora and Roland, it became a mutual agreement that they would continue with their charades. After all, Aurora had shrewdly made herself indispensable by holding a huge chunk of important investments, and Roland was the sole breadwinner of the family. She would keep up the façade of a happy housewife, and Roland could go out there and bed as many women as he wanted to, so long as she was kept on the pedestal and paid for it. Aurora began to seek her fortune elsewhere, her toyboy collection grew numerous.

It wasn't long before things would go horribly wrong.

* * *

Note: It's been a long time since I've written it, and I kind of changed in terms of writing style. Do let me know if you see anything amiss. =] enjoy! As for KakaSaku, after a period of depression thinking that Kakashi died, I kinda stopped, lol. But now, slowly getting to the fourth and consequent chapters of _Fragments_. Then I'll work on the other projects. Thanks!


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